A pistol for the physically impaired

People with two hands don't really think about it, but what happens if you lose the use of one but still want to carry a pistol? The answer is this: An experimental Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless with a couple of levers screwed onto the side.

A pistol for the physically-impaired

While a bit inelegant, the system did work and wasn't the first time someone had tried this. The Lignose "Einhand" (German for "one-handed") and the Star Jo.Lo.Ar. come to mind.

Lignose "Einhand," a pocket pistol from the early 1900s, whose curved trigger guard doubled as a cocking method

Star Jo.Lo.Ar. This one in particular was meant for troops mounted on horseback, but the concept was the same. The lever could fold up against the slide when not in use.

Unlike those two however, which were production pistols with a bit more polish, this 1903 was very much an attempt at solidifying the final design. In fact, there were many attempts on just this pistol alone, as evidenced by the left side, which has been mercilessly set upon by a Colt employee with a drill and tap.

This pistol is being sold by Rock Island Auction as part of their premier auction (I'm not shilling I promise). Follow the link here [https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/77/3790/experimental-colt-m1903-hammerless-pistol-with-cocking-lever] for more information.